Missouri football gets an unexpected coaching change
Missouri football has had an unexpected change to its defensive coaching staff.
Mizzou defensive line coach Al Davis announced Friday, May 16 that he has stepped away from the team for “personal reasons.” He will be replaced by defensive tackles coach David Blackwell, who will assume the additional coaching duties of coaching the full defensive line, according to a team news release.
Mizzou also has defensive ends coach Brian Early on staff. Blackwell and Early will work together, per the release, so it seems unlikely that MU will hire someone new for the 2025 season to replace Davis.
“I’ve made the decision today to resign from my coaching position at the University of Missouri due to personal reasons to focus on family matters,” Davis wrote in a statement posted to his X account Friday. “I was to thank Coach (Eli) Drinkwitz for giving me the opportunity to coach here over the last few years, and (I) wish the program well. They have a bright future under his leadership.”
Today I accepted Coach Davis’ resignation, as he is stepping away from our program,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said in a release. “I want to thank him for his time with us and wish him the best moving forward.”